Chapter 23: The Dream Battleship
Lamarck hesitated for a moment, then said to Joseph: "Your Highness, I feel obligated to remind you that this pharmaceutical workshop will likely require an investment of fifty to sixty thousand livres. If you only earn a 3% profit, it will probably take a very long time to recoup your costs."
Joseph smiled and shook his head: "That 3% is an emergency reserve for unforeseen circumstances. I don't intend to profit from this medicine."
He wasn't trying to be a saint or throw money away; he had a well-developed business plan.
As a medicine, salicin could save many lives, and selling it at a low price would be a good deed.
However, this substance wasn't just for reducing fever; it was also a highly effective cosmetic! Even in the 21st century, salicylic acid — the oxidized form of salicin — would still be added to acne treatment and skin rejuvenation products.
There was a famous saying in later generations: 'Whose money is easiest to earn?'
'Women and children, of course!'
If the packaging and promotion were done well, salicin skincare products could easily sell for over ten livres a bottle, and noblewomen would scramble to buy them like crazy.
Lamarck declared: "You are truly magnificent! I thank you on behalf of countless ordinary citizens of Paris!"
Eager to promote this miraculous medicine throughout Paris, Lamarck suggested, "Your Highness, I know a suitable location for establishing a workshop. What do you think...?"
Joseph pondered for a moment, then said: "Purifying salicin doesn't require overly complex equipment, and building a workshop from scratch would be too inefficient. It would be better to simply acquire an existing pharmaceutical or chemical reagent production company."
Eman, his attendant, suddenly interjected: "Your Highness, may I interject?"
"Please do."
"I recall there's a perfume workshop among the royal assets. It's been operating at a loss for quite some time and is currently up for sale. Perhaps it could meet your requirements."
"You've been a great help!" Joseph nodded. "Do you remember the asking price?"
"I believe it was twenty-six thousand..."
Before Eman could finish, Joseph suddenly slapped his forehead. 'Since it's a royal asset, why bother paying for it? I'll just ask the Queen for it.'
When Queen Mary heard that her son intended to produce affordable medicine to aid the common people, she immediately nodded and instructed her lawyer to handle the formalities. In less than half an hour, the perfume workshop was transferred to the Crown Prince's name.
Joseph had intended to go inspect it himself, but a servant arrived to announce that the Marquis de Castries requested an audience.
Joseph, resigned, had no choice but to entrust the pharmaceutical factory to Lamarck and proceeded to the reception hall to meet the Minister of the Navy.
In the spacious reception hall, Castries respectfully bowed, then went straight to the point: "Your Highness, Her Majesty the Queen sent me to discuss the construction of new warships. I believe there should be absolutely no reduction..."
Joseph smiled, interrupting him: "Marquis de Castries, allow me to ask you something first. Why do you wish to construct so many warships?"
"To deal with the British, of course!" the Minister of the Navy declared, his tone as hard as steel. "To defeat their proud fleet, reclaim our stolen colonies, and then thoroughly humiliate them, just as they humiliated my grandfather all those years ago!"
Joseph nodded: "Then, even with the full financial support for your shipbuilding, do you believe you have a chance to defeat the British?"
Castries had prepared for this: "If we unite with Spain, coupled with sound tactical deployment, there is a chance!"
"The chances are slim," Joseph stated bluntly. "And when it comes to naval tactics, the British are superior to us."
Castries' expression darkened slightly, but he still retorted defiantly, "How will we know if we don't try?"
Joseph gestured for him to drink his tea, his expression very calm: "Imagine if the navy were equipped with warships capable of speeds exceeding 20 knots, carrying twenty-five 42-pounder cannons, thirty 24-pounder cannons, and clad in an iron hull.
"Combined with our existing warships, do you think we could defeat the British fleet?"
"That's an unrealistic fantasy," Castries chuckled. "If such warships existed, I could make the British wet their pants."
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